EBRD to allocate $10 million for expansion of Akmal Pharm pharmacy chain

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a major loan financing package for Uzbekistan's private healthcare sector.

The financial institution is providing a loan of up to $10 million USD to Big-Family-Pharm (BFP), the company that manages the Akmal Pharm retail pharmacy chain. These funds will be directly channeled into scaling the operator's business activities and opening 100 new pharmacy points across all regions of the republic.

The allocated investment is designed to fundamentally improve the population's access to certified and licensed medicines, as well as medical supplies. In addition to the quantitative expansion of the network, the structure of the financial deal outlines specific commitments by the borrower to qualitatively modernize its business.

BFP has committed to integrating international Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) standards, recommended by the World Health Organization, into its operational processes. The project also covers the financing of staff professional development programs and the technical upgrade of the corporate digital training center.

The Head of the EBRD in Uzbekistan, Andi Aranitasi, highly praised the significance of the signed agreement for regional development: "Following our recent support for industrial modernization projects in the Khorezm and Tashkent regions, it is especially pleasing to see an influx of investments into another vital sector — healthcare, as well as into another significant region of the country — the Andijan region. Investments in human capital and quality standards are often of no less importance than investments in physical infrastructure."

According to the EBRD's assessment, this transaction serves as a clear example of the growing role of private capital in enhancing the quality of socially vital services and creating new jobs. The project's implementation reflects a qualitative transformation and maturity within Uzbekistan's retail sector, where local companies are beginning to focus not just on a mechanical increase in commercial space, but also on introducing rigid standards of efficiency, biosafety, and long-term operational sustainability.